# Dyer's Polypore **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** abstract, plant-life, macro-close-up\ **Created:** [September 6, 2026, 12:12pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dyers-polypore/52186 "2026-09-06T12:12:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mark\_Seaver](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mark_seaver/32/231_2.png) [@Mark\_Seaver](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mark_Seaver)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 12:12pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dyers-polypore/52186/1 "2026-09-06T12:12:39Z")
![Original - Dyer's Polypore.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/d/6/d6c842e668bac51cf3e21cbf0bdda409c0399eea.jpeg) **Critique Style:** Standard The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below. **Feedback Focus:** Artistic / Expressive ### About This Image It’s been a very wet summer in Maryland. The woods behind my house are bursting with mushrooms, so I went wandering… The strong white edges of this cluster of Dyer’s Polypore were an eye catcher on the floor of the shady woods. ### Feedback Requested This close-up view excludes all surrounding growth except the mushrooms. A 40 shot stack for dof. ### Technical Details Camera: Canon EOS R5 Lens: EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM Focal length: 180mm Shutter speed: 1/20s Aperture: f/10 ISO: 1600 tripod ---
**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 2:32pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dyers-polypore/52186/2 "2026-09-06T14:32:58Z")
A lovely array with superb detail in this image, Mark. A treat for any fungi freak. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Fach](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/bill_fach/32/78290_2.png) [@Bill\_Fach](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Bill_Fach)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 3:08am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dyers-polypore/52186/3 "2026-09-07T03:08:52Z")
Mark: You and Kris are really doing some nice work with the fungi. I like the repeating patterns and the textures and there is the bonus of the tiny rabbit hiding in the folds. Nice find and a super capture and presentation. \>=))\> ---
**Author:** ![Allen\_Brooks](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/allen_brooks/32/390_2.png) [@Allen\_Brooks](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Allen_Brooks)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 4:32am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dyers-polypore/52186/4 "2026-09-07T04:32:02Z")
Excellent detail, Mark. Well composed and I like the bit of the tree we can see. I also see Bill’s rabbit. ---
**Author:** ![alice](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/alice/32/83370_2.png) [@alice](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/alice)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 12:10pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dyers-polypore/52186/5 "2026-09-07T12:10:19Z")
Hi Mark, This image is an eye catcher. I love the lacy white edges and the fuzzy growth on the brown bits, it all adds to the interest and makes me want to get a closer look. The 40 shot stack has given you a very sharp image. I want to learn how to do that!! Alice ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Zablotny](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_zablotny/32/3919_2.png) [@Jim\_Zablotny](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_Zablotny)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dyers-polypore/52186/6 "2026-09-07T14:25:14Z")
Mark is the stack-master, and this one exemplifies his skill set. The textures and repeated patterns of the white edges give this an abstract feel to the image (Hint). The dark elements have just enough details present which provides more visual interest to the comp. Very nice as presented…Jim ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Seaver](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mark_seaver/32/231_2.png) [@Mark\_Seaver](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mark_Seaver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2026, 7:18pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dyers-polypore/52186/8 "2026-09-09T19:18:07Z")
Alice, you can do stacking with any camera and lens, but it’s much easier if you have an autofocus lens and a camera that has built in focus adjustment capability. You will need some additional software, the two main players are Heliconfocus (which I use) and Zerene Stacker. Both of these offer 30 day free trials. Each stack is contains a number of photos, each of which is focused at a slightly different depth that the others. The software then uses digital image analysis to find the “sharp” areas. Those sharp areas are then combined into a single new image that gives you more depth-of-field that any of the single images. Helicon’s web site also shows examples and gives you some “how to” advice. (Zerene’s web site may do that also.) ---
**Author:** ![alice](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/alice/32/83370_2.png) [@alice](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/alice)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dyers-polypore/52186/9 "2026-09-09T20:15:49Z")
Thank you Mark, I just looked at Helicon’s website and I’m going to try their free trial. I no longer have a macro lens but I think the focus stacking would still be helpful with landscapes and the kind of close up photography that I enjoy. Alice